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Description
The aim of the project is to prevent family violence as well as to socially and vocationally activate women in a difficult life situation. The project is addressed to 50 women who live in the Nowe Miasto Lubawskie District, their families, the local community and people from the interdisciplinary team for preventing family violence. We wish to empower women and develop effective methods of counteracting violence. The diagnosis made for the purpose of the project shows that there is a great need for actions supporting women, both those who are in a difficult life situation and those who would like to be more active. As many as 45 women came to the opening meeting during the project recruitment. The participants shared their experiences, very quickly signed up for the project events and expressed their gratitude for our initiative. For women and families in crisis we will conduct therapeutic workshops, psychological and legal consultations. Support groups will be initiated and career counselling provided. Members of the interdisciplinary team for preventing family violence will take part in training and working meetings of the intervention team. We will also develop an information brochure on counteracting family violence. We will set up the ‘Women''s Academy’ – a series of activation meetings on such topics as: micro-entrepreneurship, discovering one’s strengths, building self-confidence, career counseling, meetings with women with passions, coping with stress and change. Transportation and childcare will be ensured for women participating in those meetings. Moreover, project participants will design and implement their own intergenerational local initiatives. Our partner in the project is the Nowe Miasto Academy of Women association.
Summary of project results
The project was intended to strengthen women exposed to violence and social exclusion. It was intended to improve their key and social competences needed in everyday life. As a result of the activities, social integration and knowledge about the needs of people experiencing violence were to increase. The project also envisaged developing better methods of counteracting domestic violence.
A support group, therapeutic classes and individual consultations with a therapist, psychologist, coach, lawyer and doctor were organized. A series of classes were held: coaching and learning how to deal with stress and change. There were also meetings with Women with passion. The participants, with the support of the project partner, prepared and implemented 2 intergenerational local initiatives. The Anti-Violence Coalition also worked as part of the project, which developed an information brochure on how to counteract domestic violence and developed a model of cooperation between its organizations. Training was also held for members of interdisciplinary teams operating in the district.
The project provided great support for women experiencing various types of crises and difficulties. After just a few weeks of the project, women commented on how much better they felt and functioned. Thanks to their participation in the project, they learned about their strengths and ways to deal with adversities. Strengthened by the workshops and professional support they received, they were ready to take bold steps to change their situation, from resigning from their current job and looking for a better one or starting their own business to improving their relationships with their loved ones (partner, child or parent). They even made the difficult decision to break up with a partner who used violence (mental, physical and economic).